Cytokines are signaling molecules between inflammatory cells that play a significant role in the pathogenesis of a disease. Among these cytokines are interleukins (ILs) 17A and 33, and accordingly, the current case-control study sought to investigate the role of each of the two cytokines in the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS). Sixty-eight relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) Iraqi patients and twenty healthy individuals (control group) were enrolled. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits were used to determine serum levels of IL-17A and IL-33. Results revealed that IL-17A and IL-33 levels were significantly higher in MS patients than in controls (14.1 ± 4.5 vs. 7.5 ± 3.8 pg/mL; p < 0.001 and 65.3 ± 16.3 vs. 49.3 ± 20.0 pg/mL; p < 0.001, respectively). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated that IL-17A was a very good predictor of MS (area under curve [AUC] = 0.869; 95% CI = 0.779 - 0.960; p < 0.001; cut-off value = 10.2 pg/mL; sensitivity = 80.8%; specificity = 75.0%). A similar prediction was presented by IL-33, but the AUC value was lower (AUC = 0.762; 95% CI = 0.63 - 0.89; p < 0.001; cut-off value = 56.4 pg/mL; sensitivity = 70.6%; specificity = 70.0%). Multinomial logistic regression analysis confirmed the significance of IL-17A and IL-33 in MS risk, and under three models of analysis, the estimated odds ratios for IL-17A (1.50, 1.49 and 1.50, respectively) and IL-33 (1.05, 1.05 and 1.06) were above 1.0. Patients stratified by gender (male and female), expanded disability status scale (EDSS: < 3 and ≥ 3) or medication (pre- and post-medication) showed no significant differences in serum levels of IL-17A and IL-33 for each stratum. However, with regard to response to medication, it was found that responding patients showed significantly higher levels of IL-33 than non-responders (70.9 ± 12.2 vs. 57.2 ± 18.2 pg/mL; p = 0.018). This difference was not observed when considering IL-17A. Pearson correlation analysis between IL-17A and IL-33 revealed that both cytokines were not significantly correlated. In conclusion, the study indicated that IL-17A and IL-33 were up-regulated in serum of MS patients, and this up-regulation was not influenced by age, gender, EDSS or medication status, but the elevated level of IL-33 was more pronounced in patients who responded to medication.
Teachers should have acceptable ratios of multiple intelligences. Knowing their most dominate intelligence, teachers will be capable of understanding and considering the multiple intelligences of their students. Accordingly, they will be able to use Gardner’s theory as an effective approach of teaching for all kinds of learners and not limited to a specific type of students especially those who have high ratios of verbal-linguistic and logic-mathematical intelligences
Objectives: to assess chronic diseases patients’ knowledge toward stroke risk factors and warning signs, besides
determining the relationship between chronic diseases patients’ knowledge and their sociodemographical
characteristics.
Methodology: A descriptive study was carried out at public medical clinics which has started from December
2
nd, 2008 to August 8th, 2009. A purposive "non-probability" sample of (300) chronic diseases individuals who
were clients of Public Medical Clinics who have one or more of the following chronic diseases (hypertension,
diabetes mellitus, heart diseases, and previous stroke), in Baghdad city. The data were collected through the use
of a constructed questionnaire which consists
Background: obesity is nowadays a pandemic condition. Obese subjects are commonly characterized by musculoskeletal disorders and particularly by non-specific low back pain (LBP). However, the relationship between obesity and LBP remain to date unsupported by an objective measurement of the mechanical behavior of spine and it is morphology in obese subjects. . Objectives: To identify the relationship between obesity and LBP regarding (height, weight, sleeping, chronic diseases, smoking, and steroid). Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted from the first of January 2016 to January 2018 in obe
... Show MoreThe aim of the study is to assess the risk factors which lead to myocardial infarction and relation to some variables. The filed study was carried out from the 1st of April to the end of Sept. 2005. The Sample of the study consisted of (100) patients in lbn-Albeetar and Baghdad Teaching Hospital. The result of the study indicated the following; 45% of patients with age group (41-50) were more exposed to the disease and there is no significant difference was seen in the level of education, Martial status, weight and height. The result shows that there are significant difference in risk factors like hypertension, cholesterol level in blood and diabetes. When analyzed by T.test at level of P < 0.01 and there are significant difference in smoki
... Show MoreConstruction contractors usually undertake multiple construction projects simultaneously. Such a situation involves sharing different types of resources, including monetary, equipment, and manpower, which may become a major challenge in many cases. In this study, the financial aspects of working on multiple projects at a time are addressed and investigated. The study considers dealing with financial shortages by proposing a multi-project scheduling optimization model for profit maximization, while minimizing the total project duration. Optimization genetic algorithm and finance-based scheduling are used to produce feasible schedules that balance the finance of activities at any time w
Diazotization reaction between quinolin-2-ol and (2-chloro-1-(4-(N-(5-methylisoxazol-3-yl)sulfamoyl)phenyl)-2l4-diazyn-1-ium was carried out resulting in ligand-HL, this in turn reacted with the next metal ions (Ni2+, Pt4+, Pd2+, and Mn2+) forming stable complexes with unique geometries such as (tetrahedral for both Ni2+ and Mn2+, octahedral for Pt4+ and square planer for Pd2+ ). The creation of such complexes was detected by employing spectroscopic means involving ultraviolet-visible which proved the obtained geometries, fourier transfer proved the formation of azo group and the coordination with metal ion through it. Pyrolysis (TGA &
... Show MoreObjective(s): to assess the effectiveness of educational program on improving diabetic foot self-efficacy concerning managing their feet. Methodology: A descriptive analytic (quasi – experimental) design study was carried out at Diabetic and Endocrinology Center in Baghdad- Rusafa Sector from 2nd of May 2017, to27th June 2018. Non-probability sample of (80) male and female diabetic patients were selected. The study instruments consisted of two major parts: first
Abstract
The research aims to investigate the existence of correlations and influence between agricultural insurance risk management and economic development in the National Insurance Company with farmers, as agriculture is one of the leading branches of the national economy, ensuring food security and eliminating poverty to ensure sustainable ec
... Show MoreNeighShrink is an efficient image denoising algorithm based on the discrete wavelet
transform (DWT). Its disadvantage is to use a suboptimal universal threshold and identical
neighbouring window size in all wavelet subbands. Dengwen and Wengang proposed an
improved method, which can determine an optimal threshold and neighbouring window size
for every subband by the Stein’s unbiased risk estimate (SURE). Its denoising performance is
considerably superior to NeighShrink and also outperforms SURE-LET, which is an up-todate
denoising algorithm based on the SURE. In this paper different wavelet transform
families are used with this improved method, the results show that Haar wavelet has the
lowest performance among
This paper presents a robust algorithm for the assessment of risk priority for medical equipment based on the calculation of static and dynamic risk factors and Kohnen Self Organization Maps (SOM). Four risk parameters have been calculated for 345 medical devices in two general hospitals in Baghdad. Static risk factor components (equipment function and physical risk) and dynamics risk components (maintenance requirements and risk points) have been calculated. These risk components are used as an input to the unsupervised Kohonen self organization maps. The accuracy of the network was found to be equal to 98% for the proposed system. We conclude that the proposed model gives fast and accurate assessment for risk priority and it works as p
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